The Scout Association's Chief Scout is the head of its youth programmes. The role is now merely a nominal and titular ceremonial figurehead. The association's present Chief Scout is the British adventurer and TV presenter Dwayne Fields, as announced by the Scout Association on the evening of 5th September 2024.
Robert Baden-Powell made himself Chief Scout of his own Scouting organisation, The Boy Scouts Association. Following his death, the association appointed its Chief Scouts of the British Empire, then of the British Commonwealth and Empire, then of the Commonwealth and, since 1972, of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories.
The association's first Chief Scout, Robert Baden-Powell made himself the Chief Scout and chairman for life. The association's charter and by-laws made no provision for his removal, retirement or the appointment of a successor in either role. The association's subsequent Chief Scouts have been appointed by its council, which council elects its own members including office bearers, while others are appointed by the board of trustees (formerly committee of the council), with others nominated as representatives from councils around the United Kingdom (the majority of whose members are appointed by the board or headquarters) and overseas branches controlled by headquarters. [5]
Once the powerful leader of the association, the role of the association's Chief Scout was fundamentally diminished when the holder ceased to also be chairman of the Committee of the Council (now Board of Trustees) following Baden-Powell's death in 1941. Baden-Powell had made himself Chief Scout and chairman for life but, upon his death, the committee determined that it had the power to appoint subsequent Chief Scouts and chairmen. Not only were the roles separated but the committee assumed power over the roles. The role was further diminished with appointments of Chief Scouts for limited terms and diminished further still in 2009 with the functions split with the appointment of a UK Chief Commissioner (Deputy Chief Scout). [6] The UK Chief Commissioner took over most of the administrative duties and now heads the adult leaders and administrators of the association. Reducing the capacity of the Chief Scout to make decisions on their own, a committee was appointed to work alongside them. Working alongside the association Chief Scout's Committee, the association's Chief Scout is nominally responsible for the appointment of County Commissioners and County Presidents, [7] but this is merely ceremonially formal. The Scout Association's Chief Scout is no longer a voting member of its Board of Trustees. The association's Chief Scout is now merely an iconic figurehead for publicity promotion of the association's youth programmes.
Each section of The Scout Association has an award nominally given on behalf of the association's Chief Scout; in Squirrels, the award is the Chief Scout's Acorn Award, in Beavers, the award is the Chief Scout's Bronze Award, in Cubs it is the Chief Scout's Silver Award, in Scouts it is the Chief Scout's Gold Award and in Explorers, the Chief Scout's Platinum and Diamond Awards. The only award higher than this is the King's Scout Award. [8]
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth social movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports. Another widely recognized movement characteristic is the Scout uniform, by intent hiding all differences of social standing in a country and encouraging equality, with neckerchief and campaign hat or comparable headwear. Distinctive uniform insignia include the fleur-de-lis and the trefoil, as well as merit badges and other patches.
Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the world-wide Scout Movement, and founder, with his sister Agnes, of the world-wide Girl Guide/Girl Scout Movement. Baden-Powell wrote the seminal work Scouting for Boys, which, with his previous 1899 book Aids to Scouting for N.-C.Os and Men captured the imagination of the boys of Britain and led to the creation of the Scout Movement.
Olave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell was the first Chief Guide for Britain and the wife of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell. She outlived her husband, who was 32 years her senior, by over 35 years.
The Scout Association, which also uses the name Scouts UK, is the largest Scout organisation in the United Kingdom. It's the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origins of the Scout movement in 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 and incorporated in 1912 by a royal charter under its previous name of The Boy Scouts Association.
Scouts Australia is a trading name of The Scout Association of Australia, which is the largest scouting organisation in Australia, claiming 48,796 children and youths and 2,792 young adult participants in 2022, and is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. It was formed in 1958 and incorporated in 1967. It operates personal development programs for children and young adults from 5 to 25 years of age with programs successively opened to girls after 1971.
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls is a British adventurer, writer, television presenter and former SAS trooper who is also a survival expert. He first drew attention after embarking on a number of notable adventures, including several world records in hostile environments, and then became widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild (2006–2011). He is also involved in a number of wilderness survival television series in the UK and US, such as Running Wild with Bear Grylls and The Island with Bear Grylls. In July 2009, Grylls was appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories at the age of 35, a post he has held for a second term since 2015 and in 2024 became the second longest serving Chief Scout after Robert Baden-Powell. On 5 September 2024, Grylls was succeeded as Chief Scout by Dwayne Fields.
The Order of World Scouts (OWS), founded in 1911, is the oldest international Scouting organisation. It is headquartered in England, with the administration headquarters in Italy.
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
John Frederick Colquhoun, CBE, nicknamed "Koko", was a long-serving headquarters official of The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom and served on the World Organization of the Scout Movement's committee from 1959 to 1965.
Scouting and Guiding in Queensland is represented by Scouts Australia, Girl Guides Australia, Plast Ukrainian Scouts, and the Australian Baden-Powell Scouts' Association.
The Scout and Guide movement in Malta is served by three organizations:
Robert Crause Baden-Powell, 3rd Baron Baden-Powell was the elder son of Carine Boardman and Peter Baden-Powell, 2nd Baron Baden-Powell, and a grandson of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, and Olave Baden-Powell.
Sir Alfred Donald "Pickle" Pickford OBE was an English businessman who made his wealth from jute in British India and was a Boy Scouts Association official.
Colonel Granville Walton, OBE, CMG (1888-1974) served as The Boy Scouts Association Headquarters Commissioner for Overseas Scouts and, later, was Assistant Chief Scout to the Association's Chief Scout, Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell.
The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association is an early scouting organisation, having begun as the Battersea Boy Scouts in 1908. The organisation was renamed as the British Boy Scouts and launched as a national organisation on 24 May 1909. In association with other Scout organisations, the BBS formed the National Peace Scouts in 1910. The BBS instigated the first international Scouting organisation, the Order of World Scouts in 1911.
The Boy Scouts Association's The Chief Scout's Advance Party Report 1966 attempted to address the association's falling enrollment numbers and modernise its programs. It resulted in changes to traditional iconic uniforms, changes to awards, training schemes, the association's name and other nomenclature, reduced distinctions between Cubs and Scouts and discontinuation of Rovers. However, the changes failed to halt decline in older enrolments, resulting in a shift to younger ages and also resulted in disaffection, a schism in the organisation, growth of the alternate British Boy Scouts and European Scout Federation, formation of independent Scout groups and further alternate Scout organisations, particularly the Traditional Scouting Baden-Powell Scouts' Association and helped to re-establish understanding of Scouts as a movement rather than a single organisation.
Wayne Bulpitt, CBE was the UK Chief Commissioner for The Scout Association from 2009 until 2016.
Percy Bantock Nevill (1887–1975), known as P. B. Nevill, was an early Scoutmaster in the Boy Scout Movement, and a commissioner of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom, including as long-term Headquarters Commissioner and later, vice president.
In the Boy Scouts of America, a Scout leader refers to the trained leaders of a Scout unit. Adult leaders are generally referred to as "Scouters," and the youth leaders are referred to by their position within a unit. In all Scouting units above the Cub Scout pack and units serving adolescent Scouts, leadership of the unit comprises both adult leaders (Scouters) and youth leaders (Scouts). This is a key part of the Aims and Methods of Scouting. In order to learn leadership, the youth must actually serve in leadership roles.
The Hon. Beryl Cozens-Hardy was the first British woman to hold the position of chair of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Working in partnership with Bear will be Scouting volunteer Wayne Bulpitt, who takes on the new role of UK Chief Commissioner.
